1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable controlled-temperature (such as frozen and/or refrigerated) containers having self-contained cooling systems.
2. General Background
Many truck lines use refrigerated trucks to carry food products over long distances. The present invention is an economical substitute for refrigerated trucks when less than a full truckload of refrigerated or frozen cargo is to be transported.
In the offshore oil and gas well drilling industry there is often a need to transport refrigerated products to deep water platforms that may be 50 to 100 miles offshore. This is a long distance for transportation of refrigerated items that necessarily requires a boat trip of many hours. As the present invention can be used for substituting for refrigerated trucks, the present invention also can be placed on marine vessels, work boats, and the like that do not have refrigeration for transporting refrigerated and/or frozen products many miles offshore to oil and gas well drilling platforms and production platforms.
For more background on this invention, see prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,237 and 5,473,908, incorporated herein by reference.